Bacteria use sugar-fueled currents and molecular gearboxes to move without flagella
New studies from Arizona State University reveal surprising ways bacteria can move without their flagella—the slender, whip-like propellers that usually drive them forward. ⌘ Read more
‘Stratospheric’ AI Spending By Four Wealthy Companies Reaches $360B Just For Data Centers
“Maybe you’ve heard that artificial intelligence is a bubble poised to burst,” writes a Washington Post technology columnist. “Maybe you have heard that it isn’t. (No one really knows either way, but that won’t stop the bros from jabbering about it constantly.)”
“But I can confidently tell you that the m … ⌘ Read more
Facebook Dating Is a Surprise Hit For the Social Network
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the New York Times: Facebook Dating, which debuted in 2019, has become a surprise hit for the company. It lets people create a dating profile free in the app, where they can swipe and match with other eligible singles. It has more than 21 million daily users, quietly making it one of the most popular online dating service … ⌘ Read more
Qt Merges Wayland Color Management “color-management-v1”
The Qt toolkit has merged support for Wayland’s color-management-v1 protocol to replace the former xx-color-management-v4 protocol shipped by this open-source toolkit. The change was merged for Qt 6.11 development but also back-ported for the Qt 6.10 series… ⌘ Read more
Lawmakers are ditching Congress at a record pace
Stef W. Kight , Hans Nichols , Andrew Solender, Staff Writers - Axios
Stephan:
_Tuesday’s election is, I predict, is just the first phase of a trend that is going to restructure Congress. It is not going to be just political parties; it is also going to be a generational change. My hope is that the Democrats, in spite of all the Republican election rigging, are still going to take the majority in both the House and Senate … ⌘ Read more
Amazon lakes hit ‘unbearable’ hot-tub temperatures amid mass die-offs of pink river dolphins – study
Phoebe Weston, Biodiversity Staff Writer - The Guardian (U.K.)
_Stephan: We are beginning to see more and more reports about the effects of climate change. The fact that we have a President, a Vice President, and an entire party – the Republicans – that think climate change is a hoax, is a major reason why the 2040 is going … ⌘ Read more
BREAKING: Supreme Court Blocks Order Requiring Trump to Pay SNAP Benefits
Aaron Parnas, Commentator - The Parnas Perspective
_Stephan: The Supreme Court literally made its ruling on SNAP as I was preparing SR. Here it is. It is just more gray area, and I am increasingly concerned that millions of American families are not going to be able to have a family Thanksgiving dinner. The sheer nastiness of “king” Trump’s attempt to starve tens of millions o … ⌘ Read more
Federal judge prohibits Trump from deploying National Guard to Portland
Conrad Wilson, Reporter - Oregon Public Broadcasting
_Stephan: Here is some good news about “king” Trump’s attempt to become America’s Viktor Orban, end democracy, and use the National Guard as a Gestapo. U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut, delivered her final order banning Trump from using the military in Portland, Oregon, on Friday and said: No Trump, you don’t get to do … ⌘ Read more
Unesco Adopts Global Standards On ‘Wild West’ Field of Neurotechnology
Unesco has adopted the first global ethical standards for neurotechnology, defining “neural data” and outlining more than 100 recommendations aimed at safeguarding mental privacy. “There is no control,” said Unesco’s chief of bioethics, Dafna Feinholz. “We have to inform the people about the risks, the potential benefits, the alterna … ⌘ Read more
Spins influence solid oxygen’s crystal structure under extreme magnetic fields, study finds
Placing materials under extremely strong magnetic fields can give rise to unusual and fascinating physical phenomena or behavior. Specifically, studies show that under magnetic fields above 100 tesla (T), spins (i.e., intrinsic magnetic orientations of electrons) and atoms start forming new arrangements, promoting new phases of matter or stretching a crystal lattice. ⌘ Read more
Lego Unveils First-Ever Star Trek Set
New submitter semper_statisticum shares a report from the Independent: Lego is releasing its first-ever Star Trek-inspired model – with an incredible recreation of the signature ship from the ‘80s TV series. Made from 3,600 pieces, the [first-ever] Star Trek inspired Lego set is of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D, the spaceship that serves as the main setting of Star Trek: The Next Generation … ⌘ Read more
The First New Subsea Habitat In 40 Years Is About To Launch
An anonymous reader quotes a report from MIT Technology Review: Vanguard feels and smells like a new RV. It has long, gray banquettes that convert into bunks, a microwave cleverly hidden under a counter, a functional steel sink with a French press and crockery above. A weird little toilet hides behind a curtain. But some clues hint that you can’t just f … ⌘ Read more
‘Vibe Coding’ Named Word of the Year By Collins Dictionary
Collins Dictionary has named “vibe coding” its 2025 word of the year – a term coined by Andrej Karpathy for when a user makes an app or website by describing it to AI rather than writing programming code manually. The term, which is confusingly made up of two words, was “one of 10 words on a shortlist to reflect the mood, language and preoccupations of 2025,” repo … ⌘ Read more
Nanoparticles that enhance mRNA delivery could reduce vaccine dosage and costs
A new delivery particle developed at MIT could make mRNA vaccines more effective and potentially lower the cost per vaccine dose. ⌘ Read more
James D. Watson, Co-Discoverer of the Structure of DNA, Is Dead At 97
ole_timer shares a report from the New York Times: James D. Watson, who entered the pantheon of science at age 25 when he joined in the discovery of the structure of DNA, one of the most momentous breakthroughs in the history of science, died on Thursday in East Northport, N.Y., on Long Island. He was 97. His death, in a hospice, was c … ⌘ Read more
‘Nintendo Has Too Many Apps’
The Verge’s Ash Parrish writes: Nintendo has released a new store app on Android and iOS giving users the ability to purchase hardware, accessories, and games for the Switch and Switch 2. When I open my phone and scroll down to the N’s, I get a neat, full row dedicated entirely to Nintendo. That’s four apps: the Switch app, the music app, the Nintendo Today news app, and now the store. (The tally increases to five if … ⌘ Read more
You Can’t Leave Unless You Buy Something
An anonymous reader quotes a report from SFGATE: At the Safeway on San Francisco’s King Street, you now can’t leave the store unless you buy something. The Mission Bay grocery store recently installed new anti-theft measures at the entrance and exit. New gates at the entrance automatically swing open when customers walk in, but they’re set to trigger an alarm if someone attempts to back out. And … ⌘ Read more
Texas Sues Roblox For Allegedly Failing To Protect Children On Its Platform
Texas is suing Roblox, alleging the company misled parents about safety, ignored online-protection laws, and allowed an environment where predators could target children. Texas AG Ken Paxton said the online game platform is “putting pixel pedophiles and profits over the safety of Texas children,” alleging that it is “flagrantl … ⌘ Read more
Gemini Starts Rolling Out On Android Auto
Gemini is (finally) rolling out on Android Auto, replacing Google Assistant while keeping “Hey Google,” adding Gemini Live (“let’s talk live”), message auto-translation, and new privacy toggles. “One feature lost between Assistant and Gemini, though, is the ability to use nicknames for contacts,” notes 9to5Google. From the report: Over the past 24 hours, Google has quietly started the rollou … ⌘ Read more
Denmark’s Government Aims To Ban Access To Social Media For Children Under 15
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Associated Press: Denmark’s government on Friday announced an agreement to ban access to social media for anyone under 15, ratcheting up pressure on Big Tech platforms as concerns grow that kids are getting too swept up in a digitized world of harmful content and commercial int … ⌘ Read more
States Seek Extension of Ecommerce Tariff Moratorium at WTO
An anonymous reader shares a report: A group of states is seeking to extend a World Trade Organization agreement to refrain from placing customs duties on digital transmissions, a World Trade Organization document showed on Thursday. The proposal submitted by Barbados on behalf of a group of African, Caribbean and Pacific states proposed to extend the current m … ⌘ Read more
Nintendo Won’t Shy Away From Continuing To ‘Try Anything’
An anonymous reader shares a report: Nintendo has always been a company willing to try just about anything. Cardboard cutout toys that mesh with games? Done. A console called the Wii with a remote-shaped controller? Massive success. Legendary game designer and Nintendo executive Shigeru Miyamoto offered more insight into how the company operates in a recent fina … ⌘ Read more
Direct File Won’t Happen in 2026, IRS Tells States
NextGov: The IRS has notified states that offered the free, government tax filing service known as Direct File in 2025 that the program won’t be available next filing season. In an email sent from the IRS to 25 states, the tax agency thanked them for collaborating and noted that “no launch date has been set for the future.”
“IRS Direct File will not be available in Filing Se … ⌘ Read more
Video Games’ Hottest New Platform is an Old One
Web-based video games are experiencing an unexpected revival as the broader $189 billion industry stagnates. Sales for browser-based titles like GeoGuessr and chess were expected to triple from 2021 to 2028, reaching $3.09 billion, according to Google and Kantar. Playgama hosted more than 15,000 new web games in the first half of 2025, exceeding the combined total from 2021 throug … ⌘ Read more
macOS Tahoe’s Terrible Icons
An anonymous reader shares a report: On the new MacOS 26 (Tahoe), Apple has mandated that all application icons fit into their prescribed squircle. No longer can icons have distinct shapes, nor even any fun frame-breaking accessories. Should an icon be so foolish as to try to have a bit of personality, it will find itself stuffed into a dingy gray icon jail.
[…] While Apple had previously urged developers to use … ⌘ Read more
Defunct Pennsylvania oil and gas wells may leak methane and metals into water
In the dense forests of northwestern Pennsylvania, hundreds of thousands of retired oil and gas wells—some dating back to the mid-1800s, long before modern construction standards—dot the landscape, according to geochemists in Penn State’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences who recently led a study in the region. Left uncapped and exposed to air and erosion, they break down, leaching harmful chemicals into the atmospher … ⌘ Read more
As Brazil Cracks Down on Forest Clearing, Emissions Fall
Last year Brazil saw its biggest drop in emissions since 2009, new data show. The decline comes in the wake of a crackdown on deforestation. From a report: Since returning to power in 2022, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has moved to stem illicit clearing of forest by miners, loggers, and farmers, stepping up enforcement that had been weakened under his pred … ⌘ Read more
Corporate Profits Surge as Companies Cut Nearly 1 Million Jobs
U.S. corporate profits have risen to record levels this year as companies eliminated nearly 1 million jobs. Chen Zhao of Alpine Macro calls the disconnect a “jobless boom.” Companies typically cut workers when profits decline. Amazon laid off 30,000 employees despite strong earnings. Zhao attributes the pattern to AI adoption boosting productivity across … ⌘ Read more
Amazon Takes Low-Cost Ecommerce Service Global
An anonymous reader shares a report: Amazon on Friday expanded the reach of its low-cost ecommerce service to 14 additional markets and will call it Amazon Bazaar, as part of a push to compete with Chinese rivals including Shein and PDD Holding’s Temu. The expansion of the service comes at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping import tariffs are denting consumer sentiment, … ⌘ Read more
Rideshare Giant Grab Moves 200 Macs Out of the Cloud, Expects To Save $2.4 Million
Singaporean super-app company Grab has dumped 200 cloudy Mac Minis and replaced them with physical machines, a move it expects will save $2.4 million over three years. From a report: Grab is Southeast Asia’s leading rideshare and food delivery outfit and therefore needs to build apps for iOS to connect with custom … ⌘ Read more
Polymarket Volume Inflated by ‘Artificial’ Activity, Study Finds
An anonymous reader shares a report: The volume of activity on Polymarket, one of the most popular prediction markets, has been significantly inflated by so-called wash trading in which users rapidly buy and sell the same contracts, according to a new study by Columbia University researchers. The “artificial trading,” as the authors call it, varied … ⌘ Read more
Grand Theft Auto 6 Delayed Again Until November 2026
Rockstar Games has announced that Grand Theft Auto VI won’t launch in May of next year as planned. Kotaku: The highly anticipated sequel is now set to arrive in November 2026. On Thursday, Rockstar announced on social media that the long-awaited next entry in its open-world blockbuster franchise would need a bit more time, delaying the game an additional six months from … ⌘ Read more
Palantir CEO Alex Karp calls his company the first to be ‘completely anti-woke’
Comments ⌘ Read more
Dutch Ready To Drop Nexperia Control If Chip Supply Resumes
An anonymous reader shares a report: The Netherlands is prepared to suspend its powers over Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia in a move that would de-escalate a fight with Beijing that threatens to disrupt automotive production around the world. The Dutch government is ready to shelve the ministerial order that gave it the power to block or change key corporate … ⌘ Read more
US Congressional Budget Office Hit By Suspected Foreign Cyberattack
An anonymous reader quotes a report from BleepingComputer: The U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirms it suffered a cybersecurity incident after a suspected foreign hacker breached its network, potentially exposing sensitive data. In a statement shared with BleepingComputer, CBO spokesperson Caitlin Emma confirmed the “security incid … ⌘ Read more
How Trump is weaponizing the DoJ to ‘bully, prosecute, punish and silence’ his foes
Peter Stone, Reporter - The Guardian (.K.)
_Stephan: ”king” Trump, his administration servants, and the Republican Party are doing everything in their power to end the legitimacy of the American legal system, rendering it a tool for “king” Trump’s revenge. And that is just part of the vibe. Last night I spent an hour watching the Fox propaganda channel, and it … ⌘ Read more
High-resolution ‘fingerprint’ images reveal a weakening Atlantic Ocean circulation (AMOC)
Stefan, - Real Climate
Stephan: As a result, basically due to human greed and stupidity, the climate change trend continues, the ocean currents are altering as this article describes, and it is warning us that we are racing towards the 2040-2045 civilization catastrophe that is coming
![](https://www.schwartzreport.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/1 … ⌘ Read more
Tesla says shareholders approve Musk’s $1 trillion pay plan with over 75% voting in favor
Lora Kolodny, Reporter - CNBC
_Stephan: When I tell you that the United States has become a neo-medieval culture with a wealth inequity never before seen at anywhere near this level. You’re have trouble with your healthcare costs? Your child is one of the 20% of children with food scarcity issues? You have an elderly loved one who can’t get the ca … ⌘ Read more
US flight cancellations accelerate as airlines comply with government shutdown order
JOSH FUNK and RIO YAMAT, Reporters - Associated Press
_Stephan: I just got an email from a reader who has spent two days trying to get out of Chicago, but her flight has been canceled again and again. I have been warned not to fly because I would have to go through a security check and publishing SR may cause me to be detained, so I don’t have any person … ⌘ Read more